Mechanism for corrugating strips of material



Aug 25, 1953 J. E. FAY MECHNISM FOR CORRUGATING STRIPS 0F MATERIAL Filed April 23, 194e W mf E WE 15 f m J 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 '-I i H I MM. WN

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' MEQRMISM FoR CQRRUGATING STRIPS oF MATERIAL Filed April 25. 1948 5 sheetsfsheet 2 INVENTOR. 1

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Aug. 25, 1953 J. E. Fm(v y y 2,649,888

MECHANISM FOR CORRUGATING STRIPS 0F MATERIAL Filed April 2s. 1948 5 sheets-sheet a JNVENTOR.

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MECHANISM FOR CQRRUGATING STRIPS 0F MATERIAL Filed April 2z, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Affi E i 5 2J Zia frye/veg(- Aug. 25, 1953 J. E. FAY

MECHANISM FoR coRRuGATING sTRns oF MATERIAL Filed April 25, 1948 5 Sheets-"Sheetl 5 INENTOR. d10/f5 5 F41/ @will irme/vtr- Patented Aug. 25, 1953 MECHANISM FOR CORRUGATING STRIPS OF MATERIAL James E. Fay, Middletown, Ohio, assignor to Armco SteelCorporation, Middletown, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application April 23, 1948, seriaiNo. 22,786

This invention relates to a mechanism for c orrugating strips of material and formingthe same into tubes.

One object of the invention isv to provide a corrugating mechanism in which there is a minimum of friction between the corrugating elements and the material being corrugated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism in which the corrugating elements move forwardly with the material during the corrugating operation. y v

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for corrugating a continuously moving strip of material invvhich the corrugating elements are arranged to effect a continuous reduction of Width of the strip during the forming of the corrugations. Y Y g c A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for corrugating a continuously moving strip of material in which the` corrrugations are formed by bending operations without drawing or stretching the material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism for corrugating a continuously moving strip of material in which the corrugating elements and the strip of material move forwardly substantially in unison.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a corrugating mechanism in which the corrugating elements are rotatable about individual axes and have bodily movement in the direction of movement of the strip of material.

A further object of the invention is to provide a corrugating mechanism comprising a plurality of longitudinal series of corrugating elements in which each series is adjustable with relation to the other series to vary the depth and lateral spacing of the corrugations.

19 claims. (C1. 15s-68) A further object of the invention is to provide a corrugating mechanism comprising a plurality of rigid members with which the corrugating elements are connected and which are adjustable with relation to the structure on which they are mounted and with relationone to the other.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a corrugating mechanism with simple, eilicient means for forming the corrugated strip into a spirally wound tube. l

A further object of the invention is to provide the tube forming mechanism with means for moving the adjacent edges ofthe spiral strip to relative positions in which they may be united one with the other. K v v y A further object of the invention is to provide a combined corrugating; mechanism and ,tube

forming mechanism with means interposed between said mechanisms for perforating the corrugated strip. t

Other objects of the invention may appear as the mechanism is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a corrugating mechanism embodying the invention, and partly broken away; Fig. 2 is a plan view of such a mechanism; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, partly in section; Fig. 4 is a transverse section takenon the line 4 4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 5 6 of Fig. 5; Fig. '7 is a side Velevation of the end portion of a modified form oi corrugating unit; Figs. 8, 9, 10 and 11 are transverse sectional views' of portions of corrugated strips showing typical forms of corrugations; Fig. 12 is a section taken through a part of the corrugating units showing another form of corrugating element; Fig. 13'is a, plan view of a tube forming mechanism and one end of the corrugating mechanism; Fig. 14 is a section taken on the line lli-41 of Fig. 13; Fig.` 15 is a detail view of the chain clamping device, showing the chain in section; Fig. 16 is a section taken on the line l6 l6 of Fig, 13; and Fig. 1'7 is a section taken on the line Il l'l of Fig. 13.

In these drawings I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention, together with certain minor modiiications thereof, and have shown the same as designed for corrugating a continuous strip of material, but it is to be understood that the mechanism as a whole, as well as the several parts thereof, may take various forms and may be used for corrugating'materials of various kinds and of various lengths, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the several parts of the mechanism are carried by a supporting structure which is here shown as comprising laterally spaced upright rear standards 2t and laterally spaced upright front standards 2 I, the several standards being rigidly mounted in xed relation one to the other. Mounted between the upright rear standards 20 is a pair of relatively short rear standards 22, and arranged between the front standards 2| is a pair of relatively short front standards 23, these two sets of standards being adapted tovsupport the various parts of the mechanism. Supported by and between the upright standardsZi and 2l are a plurality of longitudinal series of upper corrugating elements 24 adapted to move forwardly with relation to the machine in engagea ment with the strip of material to be corrugated. Supported by and between the shorter front and rear standards 22 and 23 is a plurality of series of lower corrugating elements 25. Each series of lower corrugating elements is arranged in a vertical plane extending between adjacent series of upper corrugating elements 24, and extends upwardly between said upper corrugating elements 2t distances which increase progressively as the -corrugating elements move forwardly, as shown in Fig. 1. The corrugating elements of each series are arranged close one to the other and are adapted to move from the rear end :of the machine to the forward end thereof, in con-Y tact with the material to be corrugated and toV be then returned to the rear end of the machine and again moved forwardly in engagement' with the material. rThe corrugating elements of the several upper series move in xed paths which converge forwardly, and likewise the several series of lower corrugating elements converge forwardly in fixed paths substantially parallel with the paths of the upper series of corrugating elements, as best shown in Fig. 2. The sheet of material to be corrugated, 26, is introduced in a substantially flat form between the upper and lower corrugating elements at the rear end of the machine and as it is moved forwardly in contact with said corrugating elements the material is bent along longitudinal lines to form the corrugations, as shown in Fig. fl, the corrugations increasing in depth as the sheet moves forwardly and the over all width of the strip being gradually and continuously reduced during such movement, thus the forming of the corrugations and the reduction in width of the strip are effected Wholly by bending operations and without drawing or stretching the material which is being corrugated.

The corrugating elements may be of any suitable character and may be movably supported in any suitable manner. Preferably each corrugating element is rotatable about an aXis transverse to the line of its bodily movement and as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 each corrugating element is in the form of a disk-like roller. In the present arrangement the upper series of corrugating elements are supported and guided by rigid members, or bars, 2l extending lengthwise of the machine and supported at the respective ends by cross bars, or shafts, 28 connected at their respective ends with the front and rear standards 20 and 2l. The lower series of corrugating elements are likewise supported on rigid members, or bars, 29 extending lengthwise of the machine and supported at their ends on transverse bars, or shafts 3%, which are supported respectively on the front and rear upright standards 22 and 23. In this arrangement each series of corrugating elements or rollers is an endless series and the corrugating elements move forwardly between the sheet of material and inwardly facing surfaces of the respective upper and lower bars, that is, in engagement with downwardly facing surfaces of the upper bars and upwardly facing surfaces of the lower bars. These inwardly facing surfaces, and in the present instance the bars as a whole, converge vertically toward the forward end of the machine so that the overlap between the upper and lower rollers increases as they approach the forward end of the machine. When the corrugations have been formed to their full depth the rollers are moved outwardly from the inner surfaces of the respective bars onto the outer surfaces thereof thence rearwardly along the bars and again inwardly into engagement 4 with the inner surfaces of the respective bars. The corrugating rollers may be caused to thus travel about the respective bars in any suitable manner and as shown in Figs. 1 to 4 the sheet to be corrugated is moved forwardly between the rollers and by its contact with the rollers causes the latterv to move both about their individual axes and forwardly with the sheet, and after the rollers have passed the ends of the supporting bars the rollers which are in contact with the sheet and movable thereby press against the preceding rollers and cause the latter to move outwardlyV and about the respective bars. The sheet may be moved between the rollers in any suitable manner. In the present instance a pair of pinch rolls 3l are mounted adjacent the front end of the machine, shaped to correspond to the cross sectional shape of the corrugated sheet and driven in any suitable manner from a source of power so as to draw the sheet forwardly between th'ecorrugating elements" and thereby actuate the latter. ljiefe'ral`il3'r the upper and lower surfaces of the bars are grooved as shown at 32 to form y runways or' guides in which the' rollers may travel.

WhenV the rollers'` of the' upper series are in contact with the'sh'eet these grooves prevent the tilting of the rollers1 as' they move along the corrugations".y Any suitable means may be provided for guiding the rollersv from`v their sheet engaging positions about the ends of the bars and lengthwise thereof and as here shown slotted or grooved guide members 3'3' are supported on the respective members, as by brackets 34, and each roller is provided with trunn'ions 35 adapted to extend into the slotted guides 33'. The end portions of the guides are curved as shown at 36 and 3l to guide the rollers `from sheet engaging position onto the outer edges of the respective bars and then again into engagement with the inner surfaces of the bars.

The sheet of material to be corrugated may be delivered to the machineV in any suitable manner. PreferablyV the Sheet is of relatively great length and long continuous strips suitable for corrugati'on usually come in the form of rolls. As' shown at 38 one of these rolls is mounted on and for rotation about a shaftv 39 supported in the rear of the machine on upright standards, one of is shown at 46', guard plates 'il being mounted on the shaft at the ends of the roll of material to prevent the axial distortion of the roll. The strip of material is led from the rollv through a seriesV of flattening or straightening rollers 42 and' between guide rollers 53, rotatable about vertical' axes, to the corrugating ele-ments. Arranged between the corrugating elements and the roll of strip material is a device 44 by which the rear end of an exhausted roll of strip' material can be supported and the leading edge of another strip of material welded thereto, so' that the second strip'is pulled through the machine by the first strip; This device is of a' well known character and need not be further illustrated or described.

Both the' upper series and lower series of corrugating elements and their supporting members' are adjustable to vary the lateral spacing of the corrugations andthe depth thereof and, of course', additional series of elements and supporting members may be provided when it is desired to increase the number` of corrugations in the strip. These adjustments may be effected in any suitable manner and in the illustrated construction the shafts 28 and 3B extend through vertical slots 45' in the respective upright stand- 2,64,sss

ards and the end portions-4E thereof are pro--Y vided with screw threaded openings to receive the threaded portions 41 of upright-rotatable rods 48, the rotation of which will move the shaft vertically with relation to the standards. The rods w8' may be rotated in any suitable manner but preferably they are power operated and each pair of rods i8 is driven by a separate-electric motor 49 the shaft of which is Vconnected with one rod of one pair of rods by beveled gearing 50 and is similarly connected` to a transverse shaft 5I which in turn` is connectedjlwith the other rod of that pair by beveled gearing 52. Thus the operation of the motor causes both ends of the shaft, 28 or 36, `with whichit is connected to move simultaneously and equal dis-f tances. In this manner the upper and lower cor rugating elements can be adjusted to vary the depth of the corrugations, to accommodate the same to materials of different thicknesses and forlike purposes. Other means-are vprovided whereby fine vertical adjustments of the corrugating elements may be effected and the corrugating elements of each series adjusted lat@ erally with relation to theother series of elements. As best shown in Fig. 6 each of the bars, 21 and 29, is provided adjacent each end thereof "with a relatively large axial opening 53 in which a sleeve Y511 is rotatably supported, the sleeve having an eccentric bore.'5,5 through which the shaft, 28 or 3i), extends. The sleeve is normally secured to the shaft, as by a set screw 56, and by releasing the sleeve and rotating the same in the ba'r the latterv may be very accurately adjustedrvertically with relation to the supporting structure and to the' other bars. When the desired adjustment has been effected the set screw is again tightened. Each end of each barV may thus be adjusted vertically with relation vto, the other end thereof- The bar 21 is normally held against axiallmovement on `the sleeve by collars 51 mounted on the'sleeveand bearing against 6. of corrugating `elements'constitutes a sprocket chain adapted to be engaged by sprocket wheels,

one of which is shown at 62 as mounted on a shaftV ing elementsare arranged in the same relation as the respective sides of thel bar and rigidly secured to the sleeve, as by set screws 58. B-y releasinglr the .collars the. end o f the .bar and the collars may be shifted-lengthwise of thev sleeve toadjust the same with relation thereto or Vthe sleeve and bar may'be'fladjusted'axially on the shaft 23 by loosening the set screw 56. In either event the end of the bar is moved laterally with relation to the other bars of that series.

The sheet engaging surfacesno'f the corrugati ing elements Vmay' be of any suitable shape necessary to provide in the'sh'eeta corrgation of the Y tion and having a 'curvedfportionat Athe vapex Y thereof. By substituting 'other roller'shaving their peripheral surfaces of uother shapes, corru-v gations of any suitablev cross section may be formed and in Figs. 8 to 11 I have shown cross sections of portions of corrugated sheets in which f the shapes of the corrugations are typical of the character of corrugations which can be formed with the machine.

In Fig. 7 there is vshown a modif-led form of corrugating unit in which the 'oorru'g'ating'elements are non-rotatable and are positively driven. As there shown the corrugating'elemen'ts" of each series comprises a plurality of blocks or plates 60 arranged edge to edge in an endless series and pivotally connected one tothe other by links Bl,

the links being so spacedV thatV the "endless series are the several series of rotatable corrugating elements and receivebetween them the sheet to be corrugated in the same manner above described. The operation is substantially the same except thatv the `corrugating elements do not rotate'but the upper and'lower corrugating elements grip the sheet to be corrugated between them as they move forwardly along the inner sides of the respective bars and thereby feed the sheet through the machine, instead of the sheet being pulled through the machine and serving to actuate 'the corrugating'elements, as above described. However, it isv to be noted that in this arrangement all thecorrugating elements of each corrugating unit, or series of elements, that are in engagement with the sheet are also substantially in'en'd to end 'engagement one with the other, with they sheet engaging surfaces on the correspending sides vof adjacent elements in line one with the other, and therefore` the corrugating surfaces of each unit havebending, or folding, engagement with vthe sheet throughout the effective length of the unit. Thus the corrugating surfaces of each corrugating unit are substantially continuous for the full effective length of the unit and the corrugations are gradually and continuously deepened fromzero depth to the nal depth of the corrugation, and likewise the width of the sheet is gradually and continuously reduced from the initial at .width thereof to thenal width ofthe fully corrugated sheet. .Due to this continuous engagement of the corrugating surfaces with all' parts of thefcorrugation which are incomplete,v corrugations are formed wholly by bending, or folding, the sheet, and the drawing, or stretching, lof the sheet, which results from the usual step by step operation, is eliminated even more completely than by the traveling rollers Vabove described. Obviously the continuous corrugating surfaces-may take various forms and it is not essential tothe continuous forming operation that the corrugating surfaces shall move with the sheet. I

The corrugating rollers may be of any suitable character and in Fig. 12 there is shown a fragmentary view of -a roller type corrugating device in which the corrugating elementsv 64 are spherical in form and are seated in grooves in the inner edges of the respective bars 21a and 29a. These spherical. corrugating elements may be used in endless series Vin the same'manner as the disklike elements are used and may be guided about the inner and outer surfaces of the respective supporting bars in substantially the same manner as those rollers, the spherical lateral portions of the corrugating elements extending into the slotted guides in such a manner as to be guided thereby.

Corrugated strips or sheets are frequently utilized in the manufacture of spirally wound tubing and Iy have included in the present mechanism a tube forming devicewhich receives the corrugated sheet directly 'from' the corrugating mechanisrn, winds the same into a spiral tube and welds the joints of the tube. As shown in Figs. 13 to 16 this device comprises av mandrel -65 extending obliquely to the path of the corrugated sheet 66 as the latter passes-beyond the feeding out rolls 3 i. The mandrel is rigidlysupported at one end only, as by an upright standard 67, at one side of the path of said strip of material, and the other end of the mandrel extends beyond the other side of the strip 66 and is unsupported and unobstructed so that the strip may be wound about the same to form the tube. A supporting member or bracket 68 is mounted at that side of the path of said strip which is adjacent the standard 6'! and extends inwardly above the strip, in the present instance to a position above the apex of that corrugation which is adjacent the mandrel support, as shown at l69. Supported by this bracket 68 are vertically spaced guide membersk 16 and 'H arranged to receive the strip S6 between them. A iiexible guide element, such as a chain T2, is connected at one end with a fixed support above the mandrel and near that edge of the strip adjacent the mandrel support, in the present instance the chain is anchored on the forward edge of the upper guide member 'i0 and extends forwardly and downwardly therefrom to a position a substantial distance below the mandrel, and then laterally and rearwardly toward the other side of the strip and then upwardly and forwardly and this end of the chain is firmly anchored in a position beyond and spaced from that edge of the path of the strip 66 which is adjacent the unobstructed end of the mandrel. Preferably the last mentioned end of the chain, while rigidly anchored, is adjustable lengthwise of the path of the strip. In the present instance the end of the chain is secured to a screw threaded member 'i3 which extends through an apertured lug 'M on a fixed standard l5 and is retained thereon by a nut I6. As the corrugated strip moves forwardly it passes beyond the guide members 16 and 'il and engages the downwardly extending part of the chain 'i2 which deiiects the same downwardly and laterally and causes that edge portion thereof which is engaged by the chain to follow the chain and to be thus wound spirally about the mandrel 65. In the present instance the links of the chain 'I2 have mounted between them a series of rollers Ti, the rollers having a peripheral shape corresponding approximately to the apex portion of the corrugation and adapted to receive the latter. Thus as the strip is forced along the chain, by the feeding rolls 3|, the apex 69 of the corrugation, or other part of the edge portion of the strip which is in contact with the chain, is caused to follow the chain so that the adjacent edge of the strip, as it turns about the mandrel, is at all times spaced a uniform distance from the chain and as a spiral convolution of the strip approaches completion that edge thereof which was originally adjacent the mandrel support 6'! is moved to a position beyond the opposite edge of a succeeding portion of the strip and extends along and close to the last mentioned edge so as to form a section of a spiral tube. A guide roller 18 mounted on a fixed but adjustable support I9 bears against the downwardly extending portion of the apex of a corrugation adjacent that edge of the strip opposite the mandrel support and thus causes that edge portion of the strip to move in proper relation to the first mentioned edge portion thereof. The intermediate portion of the chain 'l2 is anchored to a fixed support arranged below the mandrel to retain the chain positively in a position to impart the proper initial spiral movement to the strip, the point at which the chain is anchored depending in part at least upon the diameter of the tube which is to be formed. The chain may be anchored in any suitable way but in the present instance there is mounted on a fixed support below the mandrel a clamping device comprising relatively movable parts adapted to receive a pair of links of the chain 'l2 between them and to be clamped tightly against the same by a bolt 8i. There is usually more or less camber in a strip of material of this kind and as a result the adjacent edges of the spirally wound portion of the strip and of that portion thereof which has not yet been wound are not uniformly spaced one from the other andare likely to be so displaced with relation one to the other that it is not possible to unite the same, by welding or otherwise, so as to form a continuous tube. I have therefore provided a device by which the adjacent edges may be maintained in such relative positions that they can be united. As shown in Fig. 16 the device comprises two pairs of rollers engaging respectively the edge portions of the body of the strip V66 and of the spiral portion of the strip, as shown at 66a. Each pair of rollers includes a lower roller 82 pressed upwardly against the edge portion of one part of the strip by a spring 83 and an upper roller 84 engaging the upper surface of the edge portion of the strip 66 and adjustably connected with a fixed support, such as a laterally extending portion of the standard l5. In the present instance the rollers 84 are rotatably connected with yokes having screw threaded Shanks 85 to extend through openings in the standard 15 and are movable vertically with relation to the latter by nuts 86 and 81 mounted thereon. Thus by' adjusting the rollers in accordance with variations in the camber of the strip the adjacent edge portions thereof can be maintained in such positions that they may be united by welding. The welding may be effected in any suitable manner, as by an electric welding mechanism including an electrode 83, and the welding may be continuous so that the completed tube moves lengthwise beyond the end of the mandrel and may be severed into lengths as desired.

It is often desirable that spiral tubing of this type shall be provided with perforations in at least one side thereof to permit drainage. Heretofore such perforations have been formed in the finished pipe or tubing and that procedure is slow and expensive. In the present mechanism I have provided means whereby the perforations may be formed in the corrugated strip as it passes from the fcorrugating mechanism to the tube forming mechanism in a manner that involves very little expense. For that purpose I have provided a series of cutting devices spaced across the width of the strip and adapted to form perforations therein at longitudinally spaced intervals. As here shown each device comprises an upper rotatable member 69 and a lower rotatable member 90, the members being mounted respectively on shafts 9i and 92 which may be driven from any suitable source of power such as the source from which the feeding out rolls 3| are driven. The upper member 89 is provided with a circumferential groove 93 and the lower member is provided with a plurality of radially extending cutting elements or fingers 94 of an axial width just slightly less than the width of the groove 93 in the member 39. As the corrugated strip 66 moves between the members 89 and 90 the member 89 rolls on the surface thereof and the perforating ngers 94 of the member 60 will successively engage the lower i guidance of ,saidrgllera garages surface of the strip line with the groove 93 the groove such a distance that it .will be spaced from the surface of the strip andwill thus permit the passage of' .liquid throughl thegperforay Patent is:

1. A forming machine comprising two4 opposed vvgroups of rollers, means for supporting n lsaid rollers for movement in a number of paths which converge toward one end of the machine, the paths of one group Ybeingstaggeredwith respect toV the paths of thepther, meansfor moving a strip or materialbetween-and inrcontact with the rollers of said groupswhereby said strip is formed and said rollgrsraremgved @Ward Said one end,y andmeausjfgr.- returning Said rollers in sequence to theirrespetive, starting positions..

2. A formingmachine according to claim 1 in which .Said suppnrtna meeneem glQOVed for A3. A forming-maching,agQrdng .t9 Claim 2 in which said rollers arewheel-like in form and 4. A forming machine/a elements of one groupfbeing` staggered with vre-v spect to the elements ofthether grQup, a number of series of forming rollers equal to the number of said rigid elements, means for guiding the rollers of said series along said rigid elements respectively on the opposed faces thereof, means for moving a strip of material between and in contact with the rollers of said groups whereby said strip is formed and said rollers are moved toward said one end, and means for returning said rollers in sequence to their respective starting positions.

6. A forming machine according to claim 5 in which said rigid elements are grooved for the guidance of said rollers.

7. A forming machine according to claim 6 in which said rollers are wheel-like in form and have shafts and in which guiding means are provided for the ends of said shafts.

8. A forming machine according to claim 5 in which said rigid elements are grooved for the guidance of said rollers and in which said rollers are spherical in form.

9. A forming machine comprising a supporting structure, two opposed groups of rigid elements supported on said structure in positions which converge toward one end of the machine, the elements of one group being staggered with respect to the elements of the other group, a number of series of forming rollers equal to the number of said rigid elements, means for guidcomprising asupprting 10 ing the rollers of said series along said rigid elements respectively on the opposed faces thereof,

y means for moving a strip of material between and in contact with the rollers of said groups whereby said strip is formed and said rollers are moved toward said one end, means for guiding said rollers about the forward ends of the respective members and then rearwardly on the outer faces thereof, and about the rear ends of said members to their respective starting posiv*tions onthe said opposed faces.

d l0. A forming machine according to claim 9 in which said rigid elements are grooved for the guidance of said rollers.

ll. A forming machine according to claim l0 in which said rollers are wheel-like in form and have shafts and in which guiding means are provided for the ends of said shafts.

l2. A forming machine according to claim 9 in which said rigid elements are grooved and in which said rollers are spherical in form.

13. A forming machine comprising a supporting structure, two opposed groups of rigid elements supported on said structure in positions which converge toward one end of the machine, the elements of one group being staggered with respect to the elements of the other group, means for simultaneously adjusting all of the elements of one group with respect to those of the other group, means for individually adjusting each element of said one group with respect to the remaining members of said group, and corrugating elements-mounted on said rigid elements toi protrude beyond the opposed surface of the rigi elements of the two groups.

'14. A forming machine comprising a supporting structure,` two opposed groups of rigid elements supported on said structure in positions which converge toward one end of the machine, the elements of one group being staggered with respectV to the elements of the other group, a transverse membenone end of each element of one group being supported on said transverse member, means for adjusting said member with respect.y to theother group, means for individually adjusting the ends of the elements of said one group in the same direction, means for individually adjusting the ends of the elements along said transverse member, and corrugating elements mounted on said rigid elements to protrude beyond the opposed surfaces of the rigid elements of the two groups.

l5. A forming machine comprising a supporti ing structure, two opposed groups of rigid elements supported on said structure in positions which converge toward one end of the machine, the elements of one group being staggered with respect to the elements of the other group, a transverse shaft, one group of elements having aligned holes at one end, sleeves rotatably adjustable in said holes in the respective elements, each sleeve having an eccentric bore through which said shaft extends, means for adjusting said shaft with respect to the other group, means for securing said sleeves in rotatably adjusted position in the respective elements, and corrugating elements mounted on said rigid elements to protrude beyond the opposed surfaces of the rigid elements of the two groups.

16. A forming machine comprising a supporting structure, two opposed groups of rigid elements supported on said structure in positions which converge toward one end of the machine, the elements of one group being staggered with respect to the elements of the other group, a

e v Y11v transverse shaft, one group of elements having aligned holes at one end, sleeves rotatably adjustable in said holes in the respective elements, each sleeve having `an Veccentric bore through which said shaft extends, means for adjusting Asaid shaft with respect to the other group, means respect Vto the elements of the other group, separate means forl adjustingveach element of one group with respect to the other group, means for separately adjusting each element of both groups with respect tothe other elements of the respective group, and corrugating elements mounted on said rigid elements to protrude beyond the opposed surfaces of the rigid elements of the two groups.

18. A forming machine comprising a supporting structure, two opposed groups of rigid elements supported on said structure in positions which converge toward one end of the machine, the elements of one group being staggered with respect to the elements of the other group, a transverse shaft ateach end of each group, each group of elements having aligned holes at each end, sleeves rotatably adjustable in said holes in the respective elements, each sleeve having an eccentric bore through which the respective shafts extend, means for adjusting each shaft to vary the spacing between groups at either end of the machine, means for securing each of said sleeves in rotatably adjusted position in the respective elements, and corrugating elements mounted on said rigid elements to protrude beyond the opposed surfaces of the rigid elements of the two groups.

f 12 19.' A forming 'machine comprising a supportingstructure, two opposed groups `of rigid elements's'uppo'rted'on' `said structure in positions which converge toward one end of the machine, the elementsA of oneg'roup being staggered'with respect to the eli'ents'of the other group, a transverse shaft at each end of each group, each groupof elements having aligned holes at each end, sleeves'r'otatabl'y adjustablev in said holes in the respective elements, each sleeve having an eccentric bore through which the respective shafts extend, means for adjusting each shaft to vary the spacing betweengroups at either end of the machine, means for securing each of said sleeves in rotatably adjusted position in the respective elements, means for securing each sleeve in axially adjustedv position on said respective shafts, and corrugating elements mounted on said rigid elements to protrude beyond the opposed surfaces of the rigid elements of the two groups.

JAMES E. FAY.

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